Security guard and Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Ministry of Defence announced a Marine was killed yesterday in the south of the country, bringing the death toll of the Afghan campaign among British troops to 310, including 20 last month.

No further information about the death has been revealed but next of

kin have been informed.

Elsewhere a British security guard was among at least four people killed in a suicide bomb attack on an aid contractor's offices yesterday in northern Afghanistan.

Six attackers targeted the offices of US consultancy Development Alternatives Inc (DAI) in Kunduz.

A DAI spokesman confirmed a Briton working as a security sub-contractor was among the victims.

The dawn assault also left a German and two Afghans dead and many others wounded, including another British man who was said to be in critical condition last night.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which began at about 3.30am local time when a suicide bomber blew up a car in front of a building used by DAI.

At least five other militants wearing explosive vests ran inside the building and mounted a gun battle with Afghan security forces that lasted several hours before the attackers were killed.

Washington DC-based DAI is contracted by the United States Agency for International Aid to improve governance and community development in Kunduz, which is largely patrolled by German troops.

The raid was condemned by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Nato-led mission in Afghanistan, known as the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

Isaf spokeswoman Captain Jane Campbell said: "This attack shows the insurgents' desire to prevent progress and draws attention to their true goal of serving themselves rather than the people of Afghanistan.

"We remain committed to serving alongside our Afghan partners to improve security and development for all Afghans."

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that two British nationals were involved in the attack in Kunduz on July 2.

"One British national was killed and one British national was injured. We understand he is in a critical condition."

US blamed for muslim terror

Pakistanis have directed their anger at America over a twin suicide attack that killed 42 at a Sufi shrine in Pakistan.

Many Pakistanis say that even if Islamist extremists were behind the slaughter at the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore, the root cause was the US war in Afghanistan.

The attempt to blame the US was all the more remarkable because the attack was a direct assault on the relatively moderate, Sufi-influenced Islam which the Taliban and allied Islamist extremists despise.

Some even blamed America directly for the attacks.

Arifa Moen, 32, a teacher in Multan, said Washington "is encouraging Indians and Jews to carry out attacks" in his country.